Coin-controlled weighing-machine.



No. 675,080. I Paten ted May 28, I90I.

' L. W. BALDWIN. COIN CONTROLLED WEIGHING MACHINE.

(Application filed Mar. 7. 1901.]

(No Model.) I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

WITNESSES:

No. 675,080. Patented May 28, mm.

L. W. BALDWIN.

COIN. CONTROLLED WEIGHING MACHINE.

(Application filed Mar. 7, 1901.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Shut 2.

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ljnttin STATES 1 LEROY W. BALD WIN,

OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

COlN CONTROLLED WEIGHING IVIACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 675,080, dated May 28,1901.

Original application filed January 18, 1901, Serial No. 43,824. Dividedand this application filed March '7, 1901.

' $erial No. 50.160. No model.

To (tZZ whom, it may concern-- Be it known that I, LEROY WV. BALDWIN, acitizen of the United States of America, and a resident of New Yorkcity, in the county and State of New York, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Coin- Controlled WVeighing-Mac'hines, of whichthe following is a specification.

My invention relates generally to coin-controlled weighirig-machines,and is specially adapted for use in connection with machines of thisclass employing a rotating dial, the same being a division of my pendingapplication filed January 18, 1901, and serially numbered 43,824.

The object of the invention is primarily to obtain the practical resultand to all appearances the identical effect of a shutter action in arotating-dial machine without employing separate and independentshutter-operating mechanism. I attain this object by covering a sectionof the circular scale upon the face of the dial, which covered sectionis adjusted normally,or when the machine is at rest, to lie directlybeneath the sight-opening to serve in concealing the scale proper, sothat no portion of the latter is exposed to view through the opening.Ordinarily machines of this class are designed to operate under anyweight within three hundred pounds, and the circular dial-scale isdivided to indicate any weight from one pound up to which the machinebecomes adjusted. EX- perience with these machines in actual use,however, has demonstrated that they are seldom, if ever, requiredtoindicate less than ten or more than two hundred and ninety pounds, andthis section of the scale between the markings 10 and 290, which is thusrendered practically useless, is utilized in the manner above describedto produce a shutter effect by covering or screening the same andcausing such covered portion to lie normally beneath the sight-openingand close off a View of the dial.

The preferred form of mechanism embodying my invention is illustrated inthe accompanying two sheets of drawings, throughout the several views ofwhich like reference-tigures indicate corresponding parts.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a view in front elevation, illustrating theupper portion of a coin-controlled weighingunachine with my inventionapplied. Fig. 2 is a view in central vertical section taken on line S S"of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a face view of the dial, with the plate orshutterindicated in dotted lines.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents the hollow standard or columnwhich is mounted upon the base-casting of the scale-platform andprovides a support for the head-casting 2. WVithin the head 2 theordinary twin weight-adjusting springs 3 3 are mounted and secured attheir lower ends to the T-head of the rod 4, which latter extendsthrough and has free play within the hollow column as a connectionbetween these springs and the scale-platform levers. (Not shown.)

The various parts thus far described constitute the weight-adjustingmechanism, which, however, forms no part of the present invention, andit is therefore not deemed necessary to illustrate or describe the samein detail. It suffices to say that any well-known form thereof may beemployed.

The indicating mechanism comprisesa pinion-shaft 5, rotatable insuitable bearings U (i and having mounted fast upon its outer end thedial 7. This shaft carries a pinion 8 and a single-tooth disk 9, bothfixed to rotate therewith. A rack-bar l0, movable vertically in guides11 11, the, meshes with the pinion upon the shaft 5 and is sustained inan elevated position by a lever 12, a tooth or projection 13 of whichinterlocks normally with the tooth of the disk to prevent rotation ofthe pinion-shaft toward the right, or in a direction to indicate weight.This locking-lever is pivoted at let and provided with two arms 15 16,one of which extends downward and projects into the chute 17, so as tolie normally in the path of travel of the coin, and the other carries anadjustable counterweight 18, by means of which the action of the arm maybe regulated. A projection orshelf 19 upon the T-head of theweighing-rod cooperates with the rack-baras a stop in limiting itsdownward movement, which is thereby caused to vary as the weight uponthe scaleplatform in a manner well known in the art.

The dial (best shown in Fig. 3) is preferably of skeleton form to reduceits weight as eating position, and it has printed upon its face acircular scale 20, designed to indicate any weight from one to threehundred pounds. That portion 21 of the scale between the markings and290 which lies normally beneath the sightopening being practicallyuseless, as above described, is permanently concealed by a plate orshutter 22, preferably carried by an arm 23, fast upon the pinionshaft,and rotating at all times in fixed relation with the dial. Thisarrangement presents the appearance of the usual movable shutter,closing off a view of the dial, and performs every useful function ofsuch a device without necessitating the employment of independentoperating mechanism and locking and releasing devices. The same resultand effect can be obtained without the use of such a plate or shutter byfilling in with a solid color or leaving blank the section of thedialscale between the markings 10 and 290, as is disclosed in my pendingapplication ftbOW3 referred to. e

The operation is as followsi A person wishing to be weighted steps uponthe platform and immediately the weight-adj usting mechanism responds,and during this portion of the operation the stop upon the T-head of theweighing-rod is carried downward to an extent determined by the amountof weight upon the platform. To obtain an indication of the Weight towhich the mechanism has become adjusted, a coin is inserted through theslot and in its travel downward through the chute engages and trips thelocking-lever and releases the pinion-shaft, which rotates under theinfluence of the falling rack-bar until the movement of the latter isarrested by the stop upon the weighing-rod. This movement of therack-bar is transmitted to the dial through the pinion-shaft, causingthedial to rotate until that point in the scaleindicating the amount ofthe weight upon the platform appears at the sight-opening, when thevarious cooperating parts come to rest. The person having ascertainedhis weight steps from the platform, and immediately thereafter themechanism becomes readjusted and the dial is returned to its normalposition, with the covered portion beneath the sight-opening.

I have not herein illustrated or described a device for locking theindicating mechanism in the weight-indicating position in order to holdthe dial from oscillating and also to prevent morethan one completeoperation for each coin inserted; but such devices are well known and incommon use and may be employed, if desired.

The advantages of my invention are as follows: In practically obtaininga shutter effect in the action of the dial the latter performs a doublefunction,'which results in dispensing with the commonly-employed movableshutter and mechanism for operating and locking the same. Such areduction in the number of parts tends to greatly simplify and cheapenthe cost of the machines, and being less complicated the liability ofderangement or complete breakdown is correspondingly lessened, as isalso the cost of repairs.

It is understood that I do not wish to limit myself to the exact form orconstruction herein shown and described, as various changes may be madewithin the meaning of the present invention. Other forms of dial mightbe employed or the scale might be contained on a ribbon or tape having acovered portion adapted to lie normally beneath the sightopening; butall such modifications I consider obvious and immaterial variations ofform and not of substance and still within the scope of my invention.

Having therefore described my invention, what I claim as new, and desireto protect by Letters Patent, is-

1.- Thecombination with a weighing-machine, provided with asight-opening at which weight indications are exposed, of aweightindicating dial movable beneath the sightopening, a shutter andconnecting means whereby the shutter is operated by the dial.

2. The combination with a weighing-mew chine, provided with asight-opening at which weight indications are exposed, of aweightindicating dial movable beneath the sightopening and a shuttercarried by the dial.

Signed at New York city this 4th day of March, 1901.

LEROY W. BALDWIN.

Witnesses: W. H. PUMPHREY, L. E. PEARSON.

